Wednesday, February 14, 2018

“Yeah,” Katelyn murmured. She glanced in his direction. Concluding that there had been a development in an ongoing drama, the center of which being a thirteen-year-old boy named Zack Daniels, Chris opted to say nothing.

She watched his back while he poured a glass of milk to go with his brownie. Katelyn had inherited his fair coloring— from his steel gray eyes to his light auburn hair. Chris had been in his mid-twenties when his hair gradually turned silver at the temples. By the age of forty-five, his hair was an equal mixture of silver and brown curls. While he drank his glass of milk, Chris saw Katelyn’s eyes darting from the tablet to the cupboard behind him and across the room. She couldn’t look him in the eye.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She bit into her brownie and squinted at the screen on her tablet.

“What happened at school today?”

“Nothing happened.”

Chris let out a deep sigh. “How’s Zack?” Katelyn swallowed and set down the tablet.

“What happened with Tara?”

“She’s a bitch,” Katelyn said. “That’s what happened.”

Chris tried not to roll his eyes over yet another drama between Katelyn and her arch rival, Tara. The war had been ongoing since October. Both eighth graders were pursuing the same boy. Bouncing between the two of them like a tennis ball, Zack enjoyed the attention of two girls fighting over him way too much. The boy wasn’t worthy of either of them.

“What’d Tara do this time?” Chris asked with a heavy sigh before taking another sip of his milk.

“She told everyone that you’re a perv.” This got Chris’s full attention. “She said you raped a teenage girl when you were in college and got her pregnant. Then you killed her and that’s why you ran away to join the FBI.”

“What the—”

“It was some girl named Sandy.” Chris felt as if his soul had been ripped out of his body to take him back to another time and place—to when the nightmare had begun.

Sensing that something was up, Sadie and Mocha stopped surveilling a family of squirrels invading the bird feeders to turn their attention to the scene brewing in the kitchen. Their eyes were wide like orbs. Thor was more interested in the carrot that Emma had given her before racing to the study to email her friends.

“It’s not true. Right, Dad?”

“What’s Tara’s last name?” Chris asked in a soft voice. “Sinclair,” Katelyn said. “Her mom is some big wig on the county commission. Her dad is—”

“Victor Sinclair,” Chris said. “He’s the county prosecutor.

I know. I know them all very well.”

“You didn’t do what they say you did, did you, Dad?” Katelyn stared up at him.

“No!” Chris slammed the glass down so hard onto the counter that the milk inside splashed over the rim. “How can you even ask me that? You know me. You’ve seen me with your friends. What makes you think I’d take advantage of a young girl like that?”

Katelyn’s eyes were wide with fear.

“Do you really think that I’m that warped?” Chris demanded an answer. She sobbed.

The sight of her tears broke Chris’s heart. “I’m sorry.” He went around the counter to take her into his arms. Refusing to let him touch her, she raced up the back staircase to her bedroom. She had the last word in the conversation with the slam of her door.

Grief, frustration, and anger from the last twenty months built up inside him. If he didn’t do something, he would explode. Desperate for some way to release the pressure, he turned around in circles.

With a deep roar, Chris grabbed his glass of milk and hurled it at the wall. The glass shattered. Milk splattered all over the floor much to Sadie’s and Mocha’s delight.

~~~

ICE:

A Chris Matheson Cold Case Mystery

Book 1

By Lauren Carr

Starting a book that is the first in a series is an exciting opportunity for me, especially with author Lauren Carr. First, she introduces all of her characters first thing and gives a short description. We know, as her fans, there will always be animals, and a solid family environment setting. I've read most of all of her series, but this one is totally new! Meet Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who has come back to live with his mother on their home place after the sudden death of his father...

The wife and mother of his three children was killed in a terrorist attack. Chris' mother is unique as a woman and mother, as well as grandmother, and has the guts and stamina of someone with whom most readers will immediately bond and enjoy getting to know.

Chris is somewhat unsettled as the book begins, especially when his daughter comes home from school with the gossip that he had once raped a teenager and killed her! Instantly I was sympathetic to this new series lead. Gossip and lies are so destructive, but when a murder of a former friend which has haunted Chris for years suddenly comes alive again, it overwhelmed him. Even knowing that the FBI had cleared him years ago or he would never have been accepted as an agent, he became enraged when he realized that those in his home town still consideres him guilty of rape and murder.

Chris had felt sorry for Sandy Lipton. She apparently didn't date much so when she asked him to take her to senior prom, he hesitantly agreed. After the dance, he quickly delivered her back to her door... The sad part of this story is that Sandy had built up a fantasy of Chris as more than a friend and everybody knew it...Soon it was discovered that she had become pregnant, actually, raped, while Chris had proceeded on to Quantico to begin training. Until his father notified him that he had been slapped with a paternity suit. But Sandy and the baby of her being raped had soon disappeared...

Worrying about her son being able to get back into community life, his mother suggested that Chris join a local book club, mostly made up of retired law enforcement investigators, who enjoyed reading murder mystery and thrillers. Elliott, who had a personal interest in Chris' mother, soon invited Chris to join...

But neither Chris, nor his mother, actually knew what this group was doing! From the moment I met these characters, I found myself considering that I was now a part of... The... Geezer... Squad... I was hooked!

Then I fell in love when I met Sterling! Chris had been devastated by the loss of his father...and also Winston, his canine companion...over a short time period. The daily interaction with a dog had been an important part of his life... And so the family helped to fill that loss by bringing Sterling into the family. The only thing they were told about Sterling was that he could be goofy... What?! Chris immediately wanted to know... Sterling is also a retired law officer but somewhere along the line I figure he either learned a lot of human characteristics from his former handler who was shot, as was Sterling. His handler had died... Or....Sterling could understand humans... I'm still not sure which... But his scenes are hilarious and will have you laughing in surprise, especially when some are done behind Chris' back

without his even knowing what Sterling is up to. Here's a silly hint about one heart-warming scene where Sterling decides to help a couple who were discussing their great need for money! Sterling just may be heading for my top-dog winner in Carr's books for me! Simply... unbelievable!The number of criminal acts in this book is high, but they are spread across cold cases and deaths that are occurring in the present. Chris' own cold case becomes a priority for the Geezer Squad when Chris shared his own story. The group had already been working on an assumed serial killer case which they'd been investigating and to which the numbers attributed to this individual was increasing. What they didn't expect was that the same MO for those cold cases would be turning up on recent murders!Multiple cases, multiple villains, and a mighty geezer squad to help gather information for the police and the FBI! Carr continues to up the stakes when you read her books. With this book and the number of bodies involved, I didn't even try to determine whodunit! This first in series has set the framework for a wide diversity of future novels. I'm already anxious to move on to the next and this one is not even out!

Carr's ability to successfully integrate amazing characters into a solid family and community environment of loving individuals is truly amazing. The unique touches for each character, including the animals, reveals a loving, caring writer that works to ensure her readers are pleased with the world in which they have entered, and when finished, wanting more! At this point, I'm predicting the cold case mysteries will become my favorite of her books--Can you believe it, given the praise I've shared for all of her previous books!?! I'm a fan that continues to be joyfully surprised at each book and anxious to grab the next...There are only a few authors demanding this kind of attention from me. Lauren Carr is a must-read author. Start with this book if you, by chance, have not yet read this fantastic, best-selling mystery writer. And here's a personal recommendation from me, her books are continually reasonably priced and within reach of most readers of all ages... I appreciate that!'Nuf said... Now's the time to pre-order!GABixlerReviews

An Amazon All-Star Author, Lauren Carr writes mysteries that have made Amazon's best-selling ranks internationally. Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!Now, Lauren has added one more hit series to her list with the Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries. Set in the quaint West Virginia town of Harpers Ferry, Ice introduces Chris Matheson, a retired FBI agent, who joins forces with other law enforcement investigators to heat up those cold cases that keep them up at night.Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor. Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, and three dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

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Here's BRH Feedback--Cool!

6/17 Just saw your review on Amazon and then visited your site. Holy Smoke! As usual, I was amazed at what a fabulous job you did, reviewing the book and adding in all that related material. I was particularly thrilled that you included the book trailer I put on Utube. You adding it to your review made me very happy. In fact, I had a big smile on my face the whole time I looked at what you'd done. I even listened to the violin concerto and watched the video of Dog Hill. Every year it gets harder and harder to bring a new book to the attention of potential readers. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have you as an ally in that endeavor. Thank you so much for all you do for me and for other writers. There's no-one else like you. And that's no exaggeration.With profound gratitude, I remain, Your Friend, Don

Thank you. Your commitment to your craft is wonderful. Whether it's one star or 5, your reviews are detailed, considerate, and most of all, beneficial to the prospective reader.

What an amazing presentation. Stellar. I never expected anything like that.

Do you have a separate link that I can share? I'd love to post this everywhere I can. You did such a fabulous job.cheers Connie

Thank you so much for your glowing review of my new book. Your review really highlighted all the things that I try to incorporate in my books - they're the very things I want as a reader. I'm nearly finished writing the next book in the series - Walker and Munoz are back, and interestingly as you referenced in your review, this time it's personal. Again, thank you.

I'd read your amazing review before I looked at my Facebook page and was blessed. Hitting the link you posted, I was surprised for few would have gone to so much trouble, fewer still know that Lauren Bacall (born Betty Joan Perske) was Sephardic and bequeathed a large amount of primary source information about the Sephardim to a university, which I was able to view online when corroborating Naomi's story. Your review stands as one of the highlights of this profoundly dyslectic authors’ life. Thank & bless you heart emoticon

I thought I'd reach out to you for your heartfelt review on my novel. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes that someone was so moved by my tale... That it resonated that deeply with someone. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. Signed...

Wow, this is the most awesome blog post I've ever seen. Thank you for writing it! grin emoticon

I was thrilled with the details you offered in my review - like a literary movie trailer built on suspense and intrigue. I'm glad you're still reviewing books by aspiring authors like me. We need people like you! Keep up the good work and maintain that passion, Glenda!

Words fail me. Hi Glenda, I visited your review website today and was thrilled to see your marvelous features relating to Ms. Cramer's book. I passed them along to the author, and she is very excited and deeply grateful for your attention.

Your review of the book is wonderfully anecdotal and insightful, and it will be helpful I believe as an introduction to readers approaching Ms. Cramer's work for the first time. I found the opening of the review to be quite touching, with a wonderful sense of personal experience that I believe is all too often missing in critical review publication. In the context of the article, your remembrances from childhood add a truly beautiful layer to the photopoem you present.We're very impressed by what you put together using the press kit materials, and we will do our best to provide exposure for your features through our mailing list and other avenues.I do look forward to reading your articles in the future.We appreciate your considering our book and thank you very much for your fine and generous review coverage,

Saw the review and treatment of THE BLOOD BETRAYAL on your site. Once again, you've amazed me with what you do. Fantastic, fabulous… No, those words aren't good enough to describe your work and you.

I wrote up a short piece about what you did, directing people to your site from mine. That was really interesting and something I've never seen anyone do before. Great job, and I'm glad you enjoyed the novel.

Yo my truly heartfelt thank you for your very generous and kind review! I appreciate very much the time and effort you put into this review for me, and your so graciously posting it in multiple locations.

Your blogsite is extremely professional and well-done! What you posted for me there has completely blown me away!

Thank you again very much for such a comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining review. It's one of the best reviews I have received and I'm very proud to have it. Most Gratefully,

Glenda, You review blew my mind. When I listened to the songs you inserted, they brought tears to my eyes. You added a dimension to my work that was missing. In the attachment I have attempted to answer your question about anger. Thank you so much for your raving review. There are no words in the English language to express the gratitude I feel for you. I wish you a wonderful and blessed day.

I've been sitting in my chair for nearly fifteen minutes, stuck in an infinite loop of visual digestion and stunned amazement because of what you put together on your site for The Doppler Affect review. The time alone that you put into crafting the page is humbling, but the creativity and flair adds a layer I've never seen in reviews. Of course, the frosting of your very positive evaluation makes it the best cake I've eaten yet! I was also amazed at how you could step away from any biases due to your preferred genre and frame it for others...thank you. My newest book, Patriot's Point, will be released imminently. The publisher wants to know if I knew of any one in particular who has blogs or review sites that I would want to use. I immediately thought of you. Thanks, Doug

Glenda, I am truly in awe of your reviews and your review style. I have never seen anyone do a review as you can do one. I was entertained, informed, enlightened and amazed. There should be awards for creative, insightful and captivating reviews -- and you should be a recipient. Thanks for reviewing my book. And thanks for giving it an aura and image and feel that only your review could give it. I am very appreciative. All the best, Patrick

During the period of time that you requested my story, I also had other blog sites asking for the book as well. I had received three eviews prior to yours, and although I am very happy to report that all three were positive and enthusiastic, your entire presentation of the book, from the actual commentary to the ambitious visuals, blew me away and has left me emotionally weak-kneed in gratitude. I am extremely touched by all that you had to say and how you visually presented the concept of the book. Please note that I will place your website on the book's Facebook page which will hopefully bring your blog site more readership. Again, please know how grateful I am for your emotionally thrilling review. You have certainly made my day, Glenda! With much appreciation, Author/The Poe Consequence

I wanted to make sure I got a chance to properly thank you for posting the wonderful review of The Medici Boy! It was terrific, not just because you like the book (thank you) but because your analysis was thoughtful and honest. You put your heart into it, (Photos were out of this world) and you wrote like a friend would (we think that’s the very best kind of review). I appreciate your time and passion for literature! We’ve been promoting the site, since you went live, and we’re going to continue to promote your site on Social Media throughout the month. Senior Publicist Blue Dot Literary

Dear Glenda, I have to start this response with a BIG WOW! I have been very gratified with my experience as a new writer for both my books now and am working on a third. However, your review is like nothing I've ever seen, and I consider it a great piece of writing and creativity in itself. Thank you so very much for your kind words and treatment of Millstone. Once again, thank you for this review. I plan to pass it on in every venue available to me. My best wishes to you JackH

Thank you so much for your glowing review of my new book. Your review really highlighted all the things that I try to incorporate in my books - they're the very things I want as a reader. I'm nearly finished writing the next book in the series - Walker and Munoz are back, and interestingly as you referenced in your review, this time it's personal. Again, thank you.

I'd read your amazing review before I looked at my Facebook page and was blessed. Hitting the link you posted, I was surprised for few would have gone to so much trouble, fewer still know that Lauren Bacall (born Betty Joan Perske) was Sephardic and bequeathed a large amount of primary source information about the Sephardim to a university, which I was able to view online when corroborating Naomi's story. Your review stands as one of the highlights of this profoundly dyslectic authors’ life. Thank & bless you heart emoticon

I thought I'd reach out to you for your heartfelt review on my novel. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes that someone was so moved by my tale... That it resonated that deeply with someone. Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone. Signed...

JAFV I am stunned...

Wow, this is the most awesome blog post I've ever seen. Thank you for writing it! grin emoticon

I was thrilled with the details you offered in my review - like a literary movie trailer built on suspense and intrigue. I'm glad you're still reviewing books by aspiring authors like me. We need people like you! Keep up the good work and maintain that passion, Glenda!

Words fail me.

Hi Glenda, I visited your review website today and was thrilled to see your marvelous features relating to Ms. Cramer's book. I passed them along to the author, and she is very excited and deeply grateful for your attention.

Your review of the book is wonderfully anecdotal and insightful, and it will be helpful I believe as an introduction to readers approaching Ms. Cramer's work for the first time. I found the opening of the review to be quite touching, with a wonderful sense of personal experience that I believe is all too often missing in critical review publication. In the context of the article, your remembrances from childhood add a truly beautiful layer to the photopoem you present.We're very impressed by what you put together using the press kit materials, and we will do our best to provide exposure for your features through our mailing list and other avenues.I do look forward to reading your articles in the future.We appreciate your considering our book and thank you very much for your fine and generous review coverage,

Saw the review and treatment of THE BLOOD BETRAYAL on your site. Once again, you've amazed me with what you do. Fantastic, fabulous… No, those words aren't good enough to describe your work and you.

I wrote up a short piece about what you did, directing people to your site from mine. That was really interesting and something I've never seen anyone do before. Great job, and I'm glad you enjoyed the novel.

..my truly heartfelt thank you for your very generous and kind review! I appreciate very much the time and effort you put into this review for me, and your so graciously posting it in multiple locations.

Your blogsite is extremely professional and well-done! What you posted for me there has completely blown me away!

Thank you again very much for such a comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining review. It's one of the best reviews I have received and I'm very proud to have it. Most Gratefully,

You review blew my mind. When I listened to the songs you inserted, they brought tears to my eyes. You added a dimension to my work that was missing. In the attachment I have attempted to answer your question about anger. Thank you so much for your raving review. There are no words in the English language to express the gratitude I feel for you. I wish you a wonderful and blessed day. James Womack

WOW! What a beautiful post you did for ALMOST PERFECT ON YOUR I can’t imagine how much time you must have taken to create some thing so imaginative and special. I feel truly humbled and touched and quite unequal to saying how much it meant to me. A real present. You must be a very special person. I wish you were my neighbor and we could have a real chat over coffee. Maybe someday. But meanwhile know how wonderful your work made me feel and buoyed to keep on keeping on! Diane

I wanted to make sure I got a chance to properly thank you for posting the wonderful review of The Medici Boy! It was terrific, not just because you like the book (thank you) but because your analysis was thoughtful and honest. You put your heart into it, (Photos were out of this world) and you wrote like a friend would (we think that’s the very best kind of review). I appreciate your time and passion for literature! We’ve been promoting the site, since you went live, and we’re going to continue to promote your site on Social Media throughout the month. Senior Publicist Blue Dot Literary